Shopping Tour is a unique case in the Russian cinematography. Regarding the lack of "genre film" notion as such in the Russian film industry, Mikhail Brashinskiy's product is one of a kind. This is a low budget movie written, sponsored and shot by Mikhail in association with his Finnish friends. We deal with the genre of horror done in the style of found footage on a camera phone. The movie didn't get high ratings among Russian viewers. It was simply underrated. This horror is not something outstanding but definitely fresh.
In the center of the story there are single mother and her teenage son who is given a mobile phone as a present on which he records events taking place during the development of the action. Relationships between mum and her offspring are not so good, so she decides to take a trip to Finland by touristic bus in order to reach a compromise with her kid. At the outset of the movie all things go smoothly and nothing horrible is in the view. Mother and son have often arguments revealing their family problems on the way to Finland. Soon the pace changes, when after having crossed the board they call at the department store which is according to the guide open for tourists only one night a year. This store has special offers and reductions on all imports. The Russians love squandering money, so they happily scatter along the vast store in search of bargains. Hardly anyone of them guess this building is a trap and they all are prey for a horrible feast. The point is that only one night every year prior to the old national tradition the Finnish of all genders and ages hunt for foreigners in order to eat them. So the feast breaks out right in the store, and mum with son must run to save their lives. No one knows how strong can be a woman and brave a 15 old boy and what both can do against the cannibals. Escape from the feast will not be easy but worth to be seen.
One of the peculiarities of the movie is that there no rivers of blood shown. Mikhail doesn't focus on visual effects. The thing which makes you blood freeze is suspense. You never know whether man speaking Finnish gibberish is an ordinary human or a cannibal going to fall on the main characters with roar. Take as an instance the scene where a bent cop (this pun is relevant) drives the duo in an unknown direction to the Finnish punk rock. It has to be said that you can not but empathizing mother as if she were your own in the grisly conditions. Emotional effect is achieved by the changing in relationships between mum and son. The extraordinary conditions have them stick together and they especially change the boy who begins feeling compassion on his mother.
Shopping Tour is a mixture of horror and drama with an open ending. Some scenes of violence really thrill. Besides there is something to laugh at. You should be ready for everything. And if you are ready to watch this movie and have an opportunity for it, take it right away!
